Truck bolster



A N W mm. P. m. DRIENINIING TRUCK BOLSTER Filed Feb. 18, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l April] Z, W360 IP. H. IDRIENNIING TRUCK BOLSTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1932 TRUCK BOLSTER Filed Feb. 18, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 18, 1932 Patented Apr. A 7, 1936 tJNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRUCK BOLSTER Application February 18, 1932, Serial No. 593,853

16 Claims. (Cl. 105230) The invention relates to railway car trucks and has special reference to truck bolsters.

The principal object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide a bolster of peculiar and novel construction and in which the component walls, webs and other parts are so designed and related as to eliminate secondary stresses.

It is well known that in the ordinary type of bolster while the compression face may be straight for the major portion of its length there isnevertheless at some point or other an offset which causes secondary strains. Moreover the ordinary type has its tension face continuing from its center outwardly and upwardly in substantially the same plane until it approaches the side frames at which point there is an abrupt neck which causes high secondary stresses due to the abrupt changes in direction.

It is with these facts in view that I have devised the present invention which contemplates the provision of a truck bolster having its upper or compression face adjacent the side walls forming a straight line from the end of the bolster to the center line so as to eliminate the usual offset while still permitting use of a side bearing of given height and which need not be specially constructed.

Another object is to provide a bolster having a reinforcement joining the side bearing seat with the side walls instead of the force being transmitted straight down from the seat to the bottom as is a common plan.

Another important object is to provide a bolster in which the tension face or bottom portion is of unusual design in that the tension face adjacent to the side Walls is carried in a continuous line beyond the usual necked in portion adjacent the spring seating portion and to a point beyond the center line of the side frame, the resultant offset portion at the spring seat being amply reinforced against vertical reaction and shear by special means calculated to fulfill the purpose.

Yet another object is to provide a bolster in which there are formed openings in the sides near the center line, the openings being of peculiar configuration and formed of different curves and straight lines so related as to provide reinforce ment against secondary stresses adjacent the center line.

Still another object is to provide a bolster in which the cross sectional configuration is such that the metal is concentrated at those localities where it is the most useful, the bolster being capable of being described as comprising a pair'of channel beams having their edges joined, the

maximumthickness of metal being at the corners and the connecting or joining portions being relatively thin inasmuch as there is no necessity that they have great strength as the strains are distributed throughout the relatively thick portions.

The invention further contemplates minor improvements in design and formation so as to obtain maximum strength and efficiency combined. with minimum weight.

An additional object is to provide a bolster of this character which while possessing the advantageous characteristics above pointed out will not be any more expensive or difficult to make than one of ordinary design and which will therefore be a distinct improvement in the art.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects and advantages, the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bolster constructed in accordance with the invention, a part of the end being broken away and in horizontal section,

Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section,

Figure 3 is a central vertical cross section, the view being takenon the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a cross section taken on the line 55 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a cross section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1,

Figure '7 is a cross section taken on the line 'l--'l of Figure 2,

Figure 8 is a cross section taken on the 'line 8-8 of Figure 2,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary bottom plan view,

Figure 11 is an end elevation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I have shown the bolster as comprising a top wall II], a bottom II and sides l2. Logically, the upper portion of the bolster constitutes the compression side While the lower portion constitutes the tension side. At the center of the top there is provided an upstanding circular flange or ringlike member I3 which constitutes a center bearing for receiving a center plate depending from a body bolster, not shown. The flange I3 is braced by means of diagonal ribs M which merge thereinto and which die out at the side edges of the top wall. Within and concentric with respect to the flange I3 is a boss l5 which extends partly above and partly below the top wall and which is formed with a cylindrical opening ['6 for the reception of the usual king pin. As is customary in bolster construction the greatest vertical depth is at the center, the height or thickness of the bolster as a whole being decreased gradually toward the ends, which ends are of course intended to be received within the bolster openings in the side frames of a truck and to be supported upon a nest of springs. The side frame and springs are not illustrated as they form no part of the present invention and as numerous variations in the design thereof might be resorted to.

A feature of distinct importance is that the top working metal of the bolster lies in a continuous straight line from the very extremity to the transverse center line, the flange l3 and the flat circular area within the confines thereof being raised above the unbroken surface. By this construction it is readily apparent that there are no offsets in the top wall or compression side such as would result in the setting up of secondary strains. However, as it is intended to equip the bolster with side bearings of given height and which may be of more or less standard design, I provide a slightly raised pad or seat portion I? which is located at the intermediate portion of the bolster or in other words which is spaced inwardly from the sides thereof so as not to interfere with the unbroken or continuous line of the upper corners. This seat portion is apertured at l8 for the reception of whatever securing members are necessarily provided for mounting the side bearings and the metal around these openings is increased in thickness as shown at l9. To brace this seat portion so that strains coming upon it through the side bearings will be properly transmitted to other parts of the bolster, I provide inclined ribs or webs 20 which extend from the top wall downwardly and merge into the sides in contradistinction to any structures wherein simple vertical struts extend between the top and bottom walls. I have found it preferable to transmit the vertical load coming upon the side bearings to the side walls of the bolster rather than to the bottom inasmuch as in this way the strain is better distributed instead of being permitted to concentrate upon any localized area beneath the side bearings. These diagonal webs or ribs are most clearly illustrated in Figure 6 though they are also visible in Figures 1 and 2.

The construction at the center of the bolster involves an upstanding post structure beneath the center bearing and connecting the top and bottom It] and I! of the bolster. This so-called post structure preferably comprises a hollow member 2| advantageously elliptical in cross section with the major axis of the ellipse extending longitudinally of the bolster. Webs or struts 22 serving as braces for the side walls of the bolster join with post 2| and extend horizontally transversely of the bolster. These webs prevent any local buckling of the side walls l2. The member 2| is internally reinforced against any buckling by a horizontal web 23, which also serves as a support for the usual king pin, said web being located at the intermediate portion ofmember 2|. Ribs 24 which merge into the web 23 and into the sides of the member 2| serve as guides for the end of the usual king pin. The web 23 may be formed centrally with a hole 25 and the bottom of the bolster may also be formed with a hole 2% vertically in line below the hole 25.

. lower ends by diagonal ribs 3| and 3V. lugs are intended to cooperate with the inner Where the member 2| joins the bottom [I of the bolster I preferably provide substantially triangular ribs 27 which merge into the member 2| and into the bottom and which diverge toward the ends of the bolster. To reduce the weight of the member 2| it may have its opposite sides at the ends of its minor axis formed with openings 28 above the web 23 and other openings 29 beneath the same.

The end portion of the bolster is of course intended to be received within the window opening of a truck side frame and it is therefore shown as provided at opposite sides with laterally extending lugs 30 reinforced at their upper and These sides of the column guides for the purpose of maintaining the proper relation between the bolster and the side frames. Any desired means may be provided in association with the bolster for cooperation with the outer side of the side frame or column guides for preventing displacement of the bolster with respect to the side frames in the other direction. This means may conveniently consist of a bolt, not shown, passing through holes 32 in the sides of the bolster and through vertically elongated openings in the column guides, this specific detail being of minor importance in the present instance and, if desired, the outer sides of the end portions of the bolster may be more or less chamfered for instance as disclosed in my co-pending application for Bolster for plankless trucks, filed August 25th, 1931 and given Serial No. 559,289. It might be mentioned in passing that the sides may be formed with'holes 33 for the purpose of holding on a. fulcrum bracket forming part of whatever brake rigging is used and it is clear that these holes 33 need be provided only at diagonally opposite sides considered in relation to the truck center.

The detailed construction or form of the tension portion of the bolster, that is to say the bottompart, is of considerable importance. It should be noted that the bottom wall I is curved at the center of the bolster or beneath the center bearing and member 2| and then extends upwardly to the point 34 where it is necessarily changed in direction to provide the bearing portion 35 which rests upon the truck springs. However, the tension face adjacent to the side walls is carried in a continuous line beyond this neck and to a point beyond the center line of the side frame where it dies out into the side walls as clearly illustrated at 36 in Figures 1 and 2. In doing this, there is created an offset 38 at the spring seat and this offset portion must, of necessity, be reinforced against vertical reaction and shear and this is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by means of segmental ribs 31 beneath the offset portion and merging into the sides thereof and the seat portion 35, said ribs 31 also serving to provide bearing surfaces for a portion of the supporting springs, Adjacent the very end of the bolster the top wall may be partly cut back as at 38 while the bottom preferably projects slightly beyond the sides as shown at 39 for the purpose of providing bearing surfaces for the supporting springs. Reinforcement at this point may be effected by means F of a transverse rib 40 formed on the top of the bottom wall and terminating in inclined portions 4| merging into the sides, these inclined portions also serving to locally reinforce the side walls 12 for preventing said walls from buckling.

.To reduce the weight ofthebolster, the. top Wall may be formed with an: elongated opening 42 extending from adjacent the flange l3 .outwardly and the end portion may similarly be formed in its top with an opening 43. "Moreover the sides may be formed centrally with openings A3 and if desired with openings 43 and the bottom l I may be formed with a relatively long opening 44, the metal at the edges of all of these openings being preferably thickened. to define reinforcing beads.

A very important feature in the construction of this bolster is the disposition of the metal Where it has the most utility, namely. at the corners or outermost edges. ,As a consequence the top, bottom and side walls are made thick est where they join one another, these thickened portions being indicated at 45 and 4t, respectively, and extending throughout the length of the bolster. Below the inner end portions'of the side bearing supporting. pads .or seats ii the side Walls of the bolster are made relatively thick throughout their height as shown at t! in Figures 2 and 4 for a comparatively narrow area to compensate for the provision of holes 48 therethrough which are provided for the purpose of mounting in place brake beam safety supports such for instanceas are shown inthe co-.pending application of Thomas H. Syming'ton for Railway car trucks, filed July 31st, 1930, Serial No. 472,116, these supports not being illustrated in the present instance as beingunnecessary to a proper underside walls of the bolster die out into the relatively thin central portions of the sides.

As an additional way to reduce the weight of the bolster the sides thereof. are, formed with elongated openings 5| which extend from points opposite the ends of the major axis of themem; ber 2| to adjacent the thickened portions 4?. It is optional to use the opening 13* which begins at this thickened portion 41'. and continues outwardly toward the end of the bolster, the outer end bounded by the face of lug 3! To eliminate secondary stresses in the compression and tension members adjacent to theopening. 51, I provide webs 5d and 55 having their inneredges conforming to curves of difiering radii 53 and 52.,1the radius 52 being tangent to the edge formed on the compression side by a projection of line 49, at such a point that downward or upward buckling of the compression member is prevented.

The radius 52 on the tension side is tangent to the edge formed by protection of line 50 at a point outwardly of the pointoftangency of the curved bottom face of the tensionmember l l and the inclined portion thereof, thus bracing the tension side beyond the point of changein direction of this member. The upper edges of the openings 5| lie along the line d9 while the lower ends coincide with the line 50. As an additional stiffening means I provide a bead 56 which merges into thickened portion H at the outer ends of the openings 5!, along the upper edges thereof and clear across the central part of the bolster at each side thereof. In other words these beads are continuous at each side. Naturally such ribs or beads, especially as they are provided at the critical locations, will be of great benefit as a reinforcement to the compres- 'sion side or portion of the bolster.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a bolster which will be extremely light in Weight but which will at the same time be very strongand durable in view of the various means provided at critical points for taking care of. secondary stresses and distributing load strains .insuch manner that buckling or breaking down right is reserved. to make all such changes in the .details of construction as will widen the field of utility and increase the adaptability of the device provided such changes constitute no departure from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A railway car truck bolster provided with a center bearing adapted for swivelling engagement with the center plate of a body bolster, and having its compression side continuing in an unbroken straight line from each end to the transverse center line, the bolster having only the longitudinal central portion of its bottom necked and having the side portions of its bottom con-- tinued in a straight line from adjacent the center to the necked portion.

2. A railway car truck bolster formed at its top with a center bearing and having its compression side continued in a straight line inclining upwardly from each end to the transverse center and having its tension side curved at the center and inclined upwardly toward each end in a straight line beyond the center line of a side frame through which the end portion is adapted to extend, the end having a bottom and sides including upper and'lower portions, the lower portions of the sides being oifsetinwardly with respect to the upper portions thereof.

' 3. A railway car truck bolster formed at its top with a center bearing and having its compression side continued in a straight line inclining upwardly from each end to the transverse center and having its tension side curved at the center and inclined upwardly toward each end in a straight line beyond the center line of a side frame through which the end portion is adapted to extend, the bottom being necked to define a.

substantially horizontal spring engaging portion at each end, said spring engaging portion being of less width than the remainder of the bolster end. r

4. A railway car truck bolster having its bottom formed with a neck defining a spring seat portion at the end, the tension portion or bottom having its side edges continued in a straight line beyond the neck, the sides of the end portion below said edges being inwardly offset, and means at the sides of said inward offsets for reinforcing the end.

5. A railway car truck bolster having its bottom formed with a neck defining a spring seat portion at the end, the tension side being continued in a straight line beyond the neck and defining inward offsets at the sides, and means for reinforcing the end, comprising external vertical ribs extending from the bottom of said end portion to the offsets.

6. A railway car truck bolster having a reduced end portion adapted to be received within the window opening of a side :frame,*the end portion having its bottom*oifsetinwardlylrfrom the sides and having tensionmembers formed as a prolongation of the bottomdefining the offset portions.

'7. A railway car truck bolster having 2..1'6- duced end portion adapted to be'receivedwithin the window opening of a side frame,:the"bolster having its bottom offset to: define said end portion and having tension members formed as a prolongation of the bottom inwardly ofthe offset portion, said tension members continuingbeyond the offset, and reinforcing means :onthe'exterior of the bolster located beneath.said'tensionzmembers.

8. A railway car truck bolster having a reduced end portion adapted to I be received within the window opening of a side frame, the bolster having its bottom offset to define said end. portion. and having tension members formedJasa prolongation of the bottom inwardly of the offset portion, said tension members continuing beyond the oifset, and reinforcing means=located beneath said tension members, said reinforcing means being formed as upstanding segmental ribs located exteriorly of the bolster.

9. A railway car truck bolster having: arreduced end portion adapted to be received within the window opening of a side frameptherbolster having its bottom offset to define said end portion and having tension members formed asa prolongation of the bottom inwardly of the offset portion, said tension members'continuing beyond the offset, and reinforcing means located beneath said tension members, said reinforcing means being formed as upstanding segmental ribs having their convex sidestowardthe' sides of the bolster and having their 'edges located at and merging into the edges of the tension members.

10. A railway truck bolster having its bottom inclined upwardly from the center and necked to define a horizontal portion adapted to-seat upon springs within the window opening of a side frame, the bolster beingformed withv tension members continuing as a straight line prolongation of the sides of the bottom beyond'the neck, said tension members merging into the sides of the bolster beyond the center-line of the truck a side frame, said prolongations defining inward offsets at the sides of the horizontal portion.

11. A railway truck bolster having its. bottom inclined upwardly from the center and necked to define a horizontal portion adapted to seat upon springs within the windowbpening of a side frame, the bolster being formed with :tension members continuing as a straight line prolongation of the bottom beyondzthe neck, said itension members merging into the sides of it-hebolster beyond the center line of the truck side frame,

ribs at the edges of said tension members, and segmental ribs on the bottom of said'tension members joined to said first named ribs.

mea ow :,12.:.A railwayztruck bolster having compres- 'sion'and tension sides and provided with a center bearing adapted for swivelling engagement with the center plateiof a body bolster, bolster having itsitensionlsideiformed at its effective portions orside edges: in an unbroken straight line from eachzend tothe transverse center line of the side 'frarnei'into whichithe ends extend, said compressiOnsidebeingfOrmed with side bearing mounting seats lQcated inWardIy of said effective portions or side edges, and solid transverse triangular webs within-the bolster merging into-the top and sides beneath said seats.

: :13.xA-=railway truck bolster provided with a @centenbearing adapted for swivelling engagement withthe center plate of a body bolster, having its-compression side formed at'its effective portionsnorside. edges inan unbroken straight line from each 'end tolthe transverse center line, said icompressioniside being formed with side bearing mounting seatslocated inwardly of said effective'portions or sideedges, and means beneath said-seats fortransmitting loads to the sides of the. .bolsterfinsteadof the bottom, said means merging intolthe topv andsides and terminating above the bottom.

.14.1A railway car truck bolster including a top, bottom a-nd sides, the bottom being necked to definer a? horizontal .end portion adapted to seat uponsprings-within the window opening of a side frame; abutment members projecting outwardly fromthesides adapted for cooperation with the inner-.side of a.side.frame,'the upper portions of sa'idend portions .being of substantially the same width asthe window opening- .and the lower portions of said end portions being reduced in width,,

and reinforcingmeans integral with the bolster at the opposite .sides .of said reduced portion.

v115. .A railway car'tr'uck bolster including a top, bottomiand sides,.said bottom having its central portion necked to define a horizontal end portion adaptedtoseat upon springs. within the window opening .ofa side frame,xthe.sides of the bottom beingprolonged as. acontinuation of the major ortunnecked. portion thereofand thereby defining outwardly overhanging .offsets at the horizontal portion, and reinforcing elements located exteriorly ofJ-the necked. intermediate portion of the bottom and. extending from said horizontal portion intosa'id overhanging offsets.

;16. A railway-car truck bolster including a top, bottom and-. sidesylaterally :extending abutment membersaprojectingfrom the sides of the bolster, the length of the bolster between said abutment members and each end being adapted'to extend through the windowopening of a side frame, the sides-iof .theibolster betweensaid abutment members andthe .ends being arranged in converging relation, the end portions ofithe bolster having inward offsets, and reinforcing means at the sides of the offsets.

PERGYR. DRENNING. 

